Misunderstandings
by masqueradewitch
Summary: Karis is a mage, and Martin Septim's only friend. Will she follow her heart or will duty get inthe way? Rated for language. NOT a Martin/PC fic
1. Chapter 1

A/N: My first Oblivion fic! This will only be two or three chapters, and is mostly scenes in between certain quests near the end of the main quest line. Reviews are appreciated as they help me know if I am doing okay or if I should just give it up.

Cloud Ruler Temple stood starkly against the Jerall mountains, an impressive fortress for the Blades. A lone black horse rode up the path from Bruma below. On the horse's back, a woman in mages robes and a black traveling cloak rode. As she approached the gate, shouts could be heard on the ramparts. Slowly, the gates opened, and the woman slid off the horse. She pushed back the hood of her cloak to reveal dark red hair, and ice blue eyes. She shouldered her pack, greeting the Blades as she climbed the stone steps. At the top, she paused and bowed to Jauffre, the Grandmaster of the order.

"Welcome back Karis. What have you to report?" he asked. Karis set her pack down.

"Oblivion Gates are cropping up all over Cyrodiil. I've almost lost track of how many I've had to close. But every city is sending troops to aid the Bruma guard. The Imperial Legion is stretched too thin to help, according to Ocato, but Arch-Mage Traven has pledged several battlemages. They should begin to arrive by dawn. Even some of the Kvatch guard will join us." She said.

"I am very impressed. I'm sure Martin would like to see you. He's still going over those books." The concern in Jauffre's voice was evident.

"I understand. I have a few things for him as well." Karis replied, picking up her pack. She entered the main room of the temple, where a roaring fire offset the cold air from outside. Hunched in a chair before a pile of books sat Martin, heir apparent of Tamriel. Karis came forward and sat down next to him, dropping her pack at her feet. Martin jumped when he heard her. His blue eyes were rimmed in red, and he looked as if he had not slept the entire week she had been gone.

"Karis. Thank Akatosh you're safe. I worried so much." He said, smiling warmly. Karis grinned at him.

"It took a little longer than I expected. Arch Mage Traven needed me to do some tasks for the council. The Necromancers are getting ready for something big. Tomorrow, I have to ride to Silorn and meet with a group of battlemages to intercept something. Before that, I wanted to bring you this." Karis reached into her pack and pulled several sigil stones out, letting them roll about the table as she pulled a few more odds and ends out of her pack. Finally, she clutched something with both hands and lifted it with both hands. Soft blue-white light filled the room as the Great Welkynd Stone emerged from her pack. Martin's eyes widened in amazement.

"You did it. You got the stone. It's a terrible shame that we have to destroy it for the ritual." He said, taking the stone. Karis shrugged.

"At least I don't have to worry about that dammed ruin again. You know the legend of the king haunting it? He wasn't haunting it, he was a lich king!" she cringed at the memory. The lich hadn't appeared until she took the stone, and she had barely escaped. She rubbed her shoulder where the raised scar would forever remind her of that mission. Martin reached over and placed on hand on her cheek, where she felt the warm healing spell flow across the healing scar there.

"Damn Necromancer. They wiped out the guildhall in Bruma. The only survivor was J'skar. He's really good at Alteration magicka. These bastards are planning something big." She said. Martin nodded, glancing at the book before him.

"I still haven't figured out what this symbol means. I know it tells the last item for the ritual, but I have no idea what it could be." He muttered. Karis placed a tender hand on his shoulder.

"Martin, when is the last time you got any sleep?" she asked tenderly. He looked at her for a moment, but didn't reply.

"That's what I thought." She said, flipping the book closed with a telekinesis spell.

"Karis, what are you doing?" he demanded.

"As a Blade, it is my duty to protect you, even from yourself. You need to rest. As your friend, and as a wizard in the Mages Guild, I have no problem spelling you so you will get some rest." She said, staring him down. Martin looked ready to protest when a yawn escaped him.

"You win. I promise to get some sleep, but I want you to promise me something." He said.

"Of course."

"Tell Baurus how you feel." He whispered. Karis stared at him, eyes wide in surprise.

"How did you know?" she breathed.

"I'm not a fool. I have seen the way you look at him when you think he isn't looking, the way you linger around the temple until you can say goodbye to him. I was a follower of Sanguine once, and I know what love looks like." He said. Karis bowed her head, feeling a tear slide down her cheek.

"It isn't meant to be. I'm sure all he sees is the Breton girl who couldn't protect the emperor." She whispered. Martin reached over and gripped her chin in his fingers, forcing her to look him in the eye.

"That is far from the truth." He said, and pulled her into his arms, allowing her to weep on his shoulder. Unseen by the pair, Baurus closed the door to the dormitory, a single tear sliding down his cheek.

A/N: Poor Baurus! I figured it would be a change from the usual loving the guy who dissapears at the end of the quest line. That just seems mean to the pc. So, push the button! Don't make me sic Karis on you!


	2. Chapter 2

Baurus stood on the battlements of Cloud Ruler Temple, watching the road for any signs of a traveler

Baurus stood on the battlements of Cloud Ruler Temple, watching the road for any signs of a traveler. Jauffre appeared next to him.

"Any sign?" he asked. Baurus shook his head.

"Not yet. A messenger from the Mages Guild told Caroline that Traven is dead. He left a letter naming Karis as the new Arch-Mage. Now no one has any idea where she is." Baurus said. Jauffre leaned against the ramparts, looking out over Bruma and the mountains beyond.

"She'll be back soon. Have faith, Baurus."

"I do have faith Grandmaster. I still worry. Just three months ago, she was a terrified mage in the Imperial Prison, and now the mages say she went to take on the King of Worms." Baurus said, remembering the fear in her eyes when he had first seen her.

"Here she comes!" shouted the lookout. Baurus and Jauffre looked out to see Karis riding up the path wearing the robes of the Arch-Mage. She slid off her horse and advanced on the stairs of the temple, as Baurus and Jauffre raced down the steps.

"Karis, are you alright?" Jauffre asked as she stumbled. Baurus caught her around the waist and she winced.

"Bandits. I think I cracked a couple of ribs." She replied. Baurus helped her into the main temple where Martin sat. He lept up as soon as he saw Karis leaning heavily on Baurus.

"What's wrong?" he asked, the concern in his voice causing Baurus' heart to clench painfully.

"Just a couple bruises. I'll be alright." She replied. Martin reached out and pressed a healing spell against her side, and she sighed in relief. Baurus backed away quietly, heartache overwhelming him. He slipped into the chapel and knelt down, bowing his head before the altar.

"Baurus? Are you alright?" Jauffre stood in the doorway.

"Fine. It's nothing." He replied. Auffre came over and sat next to the young Blade.

"If it were nothing, you would be sitting next to Karis while she and Martin discussed what has happened over the last few days." Jauffre noticed the way Baurus tensed at Martin's name. The young Redgaurd bowed his head, his hands balling into fists.

"Let them have their time alone." He muttered. Jauffre looked at the young man, surprised.

"You are jealous of the Emperor. Jealous of the way he is close to Karis." He said.

"My duty is for the Emperor. If that means watching him take the woman I…..then so be it." Baurus choked out.

"She doesn't know how you feel does she?" Jauffre asked. Baurus shook his head.

"Her duty is to Martin, and now the Mages Guild. My duty is to guard the Emperor. I would see her happy with someone else than with me and unsatisfied." Baurus said. Jauffre bowed his head.

"Martin needs a Great Sigil Stone for the ritual. We must coerce a Great Gate near Bruma so Karis may retrieve it. Our duty now is to protect Martin on the battlefield. Should we survive, I strongly recommend that you lay your heart on your sleeve. May Talos give you the opportunity." Jauffre stood, and left the chapel to give the order. Baurus entered the main room of the temple and saw Karis belting her enchanted sword to her waist. He knew that beneath the robes she wore enchanted armor. She approached Baurus as the group prepared to leave for Bruma. She slipped a chain from around her neck and placed it in his hand.

"Be careful out there." She whispered, and took her place next to Martin. Baurus looked down at the pendant. It was a sapphire enchanted against the fire spells that were common from Oblivion. He slipped it on, and felt his heart lighten as he followed the Blades and Martin to the battlefield.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Here it is, the last chapter! As always, I own nothing. It's all Bethesda's. I'm just borrowing.

"We will open the portal in the morning. Take this night to gather your strength." Martin looked at Karis, her robes still bearing the burns and blood of the battle. She nodded and headed for the private room that Martin had insisted she have. Baurus sat before the great fire, his fingers caressing the amulet she had given him before the battle. Martin caught his eye and smiled warmly. Baurus nodded in return and turned his stare back to the fire, lost in thought. Soon enough, his thoughts turned to the night they had sat in Luther Broad's Boarding House, talking of the past.

_"Where are you from?" he asked, drinking deeply from his mug of ale._

_"Anvil. My father is captain of a ship. I haven't seen him in many months." She replied, sipping her mead. She wore plain clothes, and her sword leaned against the table. Her hair glimmered in the candlelight, giving her an almost fiery glow._

_"I can't remember my family. I was chosen for the Blades when I was very young. I know my mother died shortly after I was taken to the temple. My father died in battle before I was born." He said. She looked at him sadly, and took his hand in hers._

_"I'm sorry. My mother died in childbirth. She was a Living Saint of Dibella, before she met my father. He used to tell me tales of her. He says that her voice was sweeter than any songbird. Sometimes in my dreams I can hear her singing to me." She mused, finishing her mead. Baurus looked at her, enraptured by her full lips and heavy lidded eyes. For a fleeting moment, he wondered what her lips tasted like, if he would taste the mead if he kissed her. He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't realize he was staring. She cocked her head to one side, studying his handsome features. Emboldened by the alcohol, he leaned forward._

_"Do you have a boyfriend at home?" he asked. She studied his features, the way the light played in his eyes._

_"No. Most of the boys in Anvil left as soon as they could. Besides, they were too afraid of Verity and Teslina. The three of us were quite the terrors." Karis replied, a grin on her face as she remembered her friends. Baurus felt his heart swell at her smile. He realized then he would do anything to make her smile. She noticed the look in his eyes, and she impulsively pressed her lips to his. He tensed for a second, then relaxed into the kiss, returning it. When they pulled away for air, Baurus stood up._

_"I can't do this. We have both been drinking too much this night. I couldn't bear it if we woke in the morning and either of us regretted it." He said tightly. She nodded her head, though the pain was evident on her face._

_"I understand. Tomorrow I ride for the Mythic Dawn's headquarters. I will see you when I return to Cloud Ruler Temple." She said, the formality in her voice strained. Standing, she bade him goodnight, and headed for her room. Sighing, Baurus did the same, but his dreams were plagued by visions of the red headed mage nearby._

  
Karis had changed her robes, but she couldn't sleep. So, she slipped out to the battlements and leaned against one of the ramparts, staring at the lights of Bruma below. She sighed and pushed her hood down, her thoughts consumed with the handsome Redgaurd in the temple behind her. She thought of Martin's words and wondered if she should just lay her heart on her sleeve. Still, what held her back was the memory of that first sweet kiss, and the way he had abruptly pushed her away. She felt that he would always put duty before anything else, and she decided that she should do so as well. Jauffre saw her at the battlements, and decided to take matters into his own hands. He strode into the main hall where Baurus sat by the fire, and sat next to Martin, winking before he spoke, louder than normal.

"My Lord, I am worried about Karis. She seems depressed about something." He said, noting with satisfaction that Baurus looked up at her name. Martin seemed to catch on quickly, and matched Jauffre's volume.

"I'm sure many things weigh heavily upon her. Her sudden promotion to Arch-Mage, defeat of Mannimarco, and of course today's battle have taken their toll on her."

"I believe that the thing that weighs heaviest on her heart is not something that either of us can help with. I just saw her at the ramparts, and she looked so heartbroken, I almost thought she was about to hurl herself to her death from the battlements." Jauffre said. Martin's eyebrows raised at that.

"She spoke to me recently of unrequited love, but I did not realize it pained her so badly." Marin replied, his tone softening as Baurus' chair scraped across the stone floor, his pace swift as he headed for the door.

"If that doesn't get them together, we'll just have to pray to Dibella to knock some sense into them." Jauffre joked.

Outside, Baurus swept up to where Karis stood, the lights from below giving her an ethereal glow. She sensed movement next to her, and turned in time for him to take her face in his hands and press his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. She eagerly returned the kiss, her arms sliding up around his neck. When they finally broke apart, gasping for air, she looked up into his eyes, tears glistening in her own. Before she could speak, Baurus pressed one finger to her lips.

"Karis, please let me say this. That night at Luther's, I wanted nothing more than to take you to my bed and make love to you until dawn, but we were both drunk, and I could not, would not in good conscience take advantage of that state. As much as it killed me to back away from you, I truly would have died if you had awoken the next morning and blamed it on the drink. Having said that, I must tell you how I feel. When I first saw you in that cell, I wondered how the guards could lock up such a beautiful creature. The sheer fire in your eyes told me that you were meant for great things. Every time you left the temple, I prayed for your safe return, and I mourned every time you left, for fear that I would never have the chance to tell you how I feel. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and I love you. However, if you wish to be Martin's, than I will stand at your side and guard you both with my life." The pain and heartache in his words was obvious. Karis grabbed a fistful of his shirt and kissed him fiercely. She felt a fire grow in her core at his touch.

"If I desired Martin, I would be with Martin, not out here pining for the Blade who saved me from the Imperial Prison all those months ago." She whispered hotly. Baurus chuckled and pulled her into his arms, kissing her head.

"What would you ask of your Blade, my love?" he asked, and her heart skipped a beat at his words. She sighed, content in his arms.

"After the Dragonfires are relit, I will have to take up my duties as Arch-Mage, and you will resume your duties as Martin's guard. Can we just have tonight for ourselves? Just for tonight, we can forget about Oblivion, assassin's, and that idiot Camoran." She breathed. Baurus lifted her chin and placed a tender kiss on her lips.

"I will gladly give you tonight, but I will be damned if I will be satisfied with just one night. I can see many more nights with you, and I will do anything to make sure I get them." He replied. Karis smiled and kissed him again, overjoyed that she had been wrong in thinking that duty should always come first.

A/N: Well, tell me what you think! I have a couple of ideas for other characters and quest lines, but they might just stay that way unless I get some feedback, so please review!


End file.
